Joyce and Clyde Smith

February 5, 1923 – August 11, 2022 December 15, 1929 – January 13, 2023

Clyde was born to Ben and Hattie Smith in Columbus, Texas. He went to school in Yoakum, Texas until the ninth grade when, as the oldest child in the family, he needed to go to work to help support his brothers and sister. Later in life he got his GED because he felt so strongly that an education was important.

Joyce was born to Tom and Ida Miller in Nauvoo, Alabama. She graduated from Curry High School and was chosen to be the Home Coming Queen in her senior year.

Clyde and Joyce were married for 72 years. They met in Birmingham, Alabama when they both worked for a Loan Company. They then started dating and the rest is history. They married in July, 1951 and lived there until Clyde received notice from Kelly Airforce Base that a Civil Service position was available. They moved to San Antonio, Texas. Clyde worked at Kelly until he retired in 1983.

Joyce worked in San Antonio at Stewart and Gouger Drilling Company as a payroll clerk until that company was purchased by Field Drilling Company where she finished her working career.

They sold their home in San Antonio and moved to Tow, Texas at Buchanan Lake. They spent many of their years there, fishing and gardening. Clyde loved to build things and Joyce said she would be happy when he was old enough to stop making home improvements because she always felt like she was living in a construction zone. Clyde finished all his home improvement projects when at 90 years old when he built a new privacy fence for their home. Joyce loved cooking and canning and was excellent at both things.

When they moved to Buchanan Lake, they joined First Baptist Church of Tow. They took active rolls in the church. Clyde became a Deacon and Joyce loved working behind the scenes. She cooked and served in the kitchen and ran the sound system for the music department.

They moved back to San Antonio in 2011 and joined Live Oak Baptist Church which they loved and attended as long as they were able. Clyde and Joyce spent time daily reading their bibles. As they aged and couldn’t read well, they listened to the scriptures each morning.

Clyde was preceded in death by his parents, six brothers and one sister. Joyce was preceded in death by her parents, three brothers and four sisters. They are survived by their daughter, Sheila Coble and son-in-law Elvin Coble, grandson K. C. Coble and his wife, Cynthia Coble, grandson Brandon Coble and his fiancée, Lisa Bielefeld and many nieces and nephews.

A memorial service for them will be held at Live Oak Baptist Church, located at 11560 Toepperwein Rd., San Antonio, TX 78233 on January 28, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. Food will be served at the church following the service.